Fatal GAF recruitment: Family of 20-year-old Elvon Amoateng devastated

One of the victims of the November 12 stampede during the Greater Accra military recruitment screening has been identified as Elvon Amoateng, a 20-year-old Level 300 student of the Accra Technical University.

Elvon was the only daughter and first child of her parents.

A team from the Defence Ministry led by the Deputy Minister of Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, the Gender Minister, the Greater Accra Regional Minister visited families of those who lost their lives in the tragic incident.

The Ministers’ first stop was the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, where several of the injured victims are still receiving treatment.
Hospital officials confirmed that medical personnel were working around the clock to stabilize the condition of the affected applicants.

However, TV3 learned that some injured persons did not report to the hospital after the incident.

According to one mother who spoke to TV3, her daughter returned home weak and covered in blood stains but did not seek medical attention immediately.

“I was surprised to hear in the news that all the injured were receiving treatment at 37,” she said, visibly distraught.

Other parents of injured victims also recounted their experiences, expressing disappointment at how the situation was handled and calling for better crowd management in future recruitment exercises.

The team later visited the Adenta residence of 20-year-old Elvon Amoateng. The atmosphere was heavy with grief as family members struggled to come to terms with the loss of their daughter.

Wails filled the air as the Deputy Minister and his delegation consoled the bereaved family.
Elvon’s mother, overwhelmed with emotion, could hardly speak. Family members described Elvon as brilliant, respectful, and full of dreams for the future.

The Deputy Minister assured the family of the government’s support in these difficult times.

“We share in your pain. The Ministry and the military leadership are fully committed to supporting all affected families,” Mr. Brogya Genfi said.

From Adenta, the team moved to Kpone, where other families of the deceased were visited. There, too, the mood was somber, with relatives weeping uncontrollably as they received the government delegation.

Speaking to TV3, one of the victims’ sisters appealed to the state to honor the memory of all the applicants who lost their lives in the tragic incident.

“They were only trying to serve their country. We want justice, and we want them to be remembered,” she said.

Deputy Defence Minister Brogya Genfi revealed that the military leadership has commenced investigations into the stampede.
All officers responsible for the Greater Accra recruitment exercise, he said, have been asked to step aside pending the outcome of the inquiry.

For many of the grieving families, their demand is simple, that the state provides compensation and ensures such a tragedy never happens again.

“We just want accountability and dignity for our children,” one father said tearfully.

The government has pledged to provide both financial and psychological support to the affected families, as investigations continue to determine the cause of the deadly incident.